Outselling Beyoncé & Combining the genre-hopping sounds of Gwen Stefani, and the feisty attitude of P!nk, songwriter Jessie J overcame various career setbacks and health problems to become a star in her own right. Born Jessica Cornish in Chadwell Heath, London in 1988, she started her career in show biz at the age of 11, performing in the West End production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind. After studying musical theater at the prestigious BRITS School, she signed a deal with indie label Gut Records, which went bankrupt before releasing any of her music.